APULICA / OILS AND FATS
Olio lucano extra virgin olive oil
PGI · Oils and fats · Basilicata
In brief
- Extra virgin oil from many Basilicata varieties, including Ogliarola del Vulture, Maiatica and Acerenza. (Qualigeo (Fondazione Qualivita) — Olio lucano IGP)
- It may be produced throughout Basilicata, with groves mostly on hills and mountains. (Qualigeo (Fondazione Qualivita) — Olio lucano IGP)
- The olives are harvested from 15 September to 30 January and milled within 48 hours. (Qualigeo (Fondazione Qualivita) — Olio lucano IGP)
- Excavations in the Metaponto area have yielded olive wood, leaves and stones from the sixth century BC. (Qualigeo (Fondazione Qualivita) — Olio lucano IGP)
History and origin
In Basilicata the olive tree has very ancient roots, documented as early as pre-Roman times. Excavations at Pantanello, near Metaponto, led by the archaeologist Joseph C. Carter of the University of Texas at Austin, have brought to light pieces of wood, olives, leaves and stones from the sixth century BC.
The first written record bears the name of Horace, born in Venosa in 65 BC, who in the Epodes sings of the olive branch that never deceives. Greek settlers, for their part, brought to ancient Lucania varieties that adapted to the land, such as Maiatica.
The name Olio Lucano has been in common use, in trade and in scientific publications since the late 1980s. Today it is a Protected Geographical Indication, entered in the European register, covering production across the whole region.
Sources: Qualigeo (Fondazione Qualivita) — Olio lucano IGP · eAmbrosia — Olio lucano (PGI-IT-02458)
Area and method of production
Olio Lucano can be made anywhere in Basilicata. At least 80% comes from local varieties, alone or blended: among many, Acerenza, Ogliarola del Vulture, Ogliarola del Bradano, Maiatica, Nociara, Cima di Melfi, Rotondella and Coratina; the rest may come from other varieties. What sets Lucanian olive growing apart is the hills: the groves, mostly on small farms, lie chiefly in inland areas, between hill and mountain, often on sloping ground.
Olives are picked from 15 September to 30 January, by hand or by machine, always from the tree: fallen olives and permanent nets are not allowed. They travel in rigid, airy crates, and are stripped of leaves and washed.
Milling takes place within 48 hours of picking, using only mechanical and physical processes. The specification also caps yields: no more than 10 tonnes of olives per hectare and no more than 22% oil.
How to recognise it
Olio Lucano ranges in colour between green and yellow. On the nose it is medium fruity, with sensations of medium intensity; on the palate bitterness and pungency are also medium.
Aromatic notes may include fresh grass, artichoke, tomato, almond and apple. The feature the specification names as common to all oils of the designation is the balance between aromas and flavours.
The label carries the designation with the words Protected Geographical Indication, the EU PGI logo and the product logo.
In the kitchen
Olio Lucano is a basic ingredient of Basilicata's cooking. It is used raw and in cooking, as a dressing for pasta, vegetables, meat and fish.
To keep its qualities intact it must be stored with care: it is a delicate food, sensitive to light, heat and odours. The ideal place is cool and dark, between 14 and 18 degrees, away from heat and from strong-smelling products.
Since olives are picked from mid-September to the end of January and milled within two days, new oil reaches the table between autumn and winter.
Where to taste it
Olio Lucano is made throughout the region, and each area has its own varieties, from the Vulture to the Bradano and Maiatica, which the regional tourism agency of Basilicata links in particular to Ferrandina.
Many Lucanian towns belong to the Città dell'Olio network of olive oil towns: in the province of Matera, among others, Matera, Miglionico, Aliano, Ferrandina, Montescaglioso, Pisticci and San Mauro Forte; in the province of Potenza Melfi, Barile, Rapolla, Forenza, Missanello and Vietri di Potenza.
The journey can also follow history: from the excavations at Metaponto, where remains of sixth-century BC olive trees came to light, to Venosa, Horace's town, and on to the inland hills during the harvest months, between autumn and winter.
Sources: APT Basilicata — Le collezioni 2018, Basilicata enogastronomica · Qualigeo (Fondazione Qualivita) — Olio lucano IGP
Protection
- Protected geographical indication (PGI) — PGI-IT-02458 (eAmbrosia — Olio lucano (PGI-IT-02458))
When
- Harvest: January, September–December (Qualigeo (Fondazione Qualivita) — Olio lucano IGP)
- Winter
- Autumn